Research at Shankara Cancer Hospitals
At Shankara Cancer Hospitals we firmly believe that
The strongest weapon in fighting cancer is the sound understanding and knowledge of cancer.
We enhance our cancer diagnosis and treatment services by cultivating a highly scientific environment, complemented by an innovative and comprehensive research program in oncology.
Under the aegis of Sri Shankara National Centre for Cancer Prevention and Research, with support from Sri Shankara Cancer Foundation, the Molecular Diagnostics & Research Centre leads a team of experts in basic laboratory research, translational research bridging lab discoveries and clinical applications, and computational research for biomedical data analysis. The aim is to deepen understanding of the molecular pathways involved in tumour initiation, disease progression, chemoresistance and metastasis.
Our Areas of Research
The cancer research at Sri Shankara National Centre for Cancer Prevention and Research utilises real-world data and patient cases to explore genetic alterations that drive cancer. By leveraging advanced molecular and cell biological technologies, they aim to discover new therapeutic targets and treatments. This research is conducted in collaboration with clinicians from Shankara Cancer Hospitals to ensure a practical impact on patient care.The united front of our scientists and clinicians has one sole objective,
To Deliver The Best Outcomes For Our Patients By Transforming Our Understanding Of Cancer & How We Care For Those Affected By The Disease
Our Research Focus Areas are:
- Cancer Immunotherapy
- Cancer Metabolism
- Cell-based therapy and Chemical biology
- Microbiome and inflammation
- Molecular pathology and Diagnostics
- Systems and Structural Biology
- Metastasis and Drug Resistance
- Community oncology, epidemiology, statistics and health outcomes
Our Research Collaborations
Our multidimensional team of experts collaboratively lead the global cancer research endeavours in a variety of research areas with scientists & clinicians from
- Indian Cancer Genomic Atlas
- Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)
- Indian Institute of Sciences, Bangalore
- National Cancer Grid, India
- Institute of Cancer Research (ICR), UK
- University of Nottingham, UK
- National Centre for Biological Sciences (NCBS), India
- Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR), India
- Mayo Clinic, USA
- St. John's Research Institute (SJRI), India
- National Institute of Biomedical Genetics, India
- Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology, India
Organisational collaborations enable us to leverage our expertise in cancer research while gaining valuable insight from fellow researchers who share our mission of finding new methods to cure, control, and prevent cancer.
Research Infrastructure
Our advanced molecular diagnostic centre offers a range of molecular testing services across multiple cutting-edge platforms to support clinical decision-making for our patients. Our world-class research facility focuses on cancer-specific research programs led by experienced scientists and clinical researchers, utilising dedicated top-of-the-line equipment.
Shankara Cancer Hospitals is also recognised by the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) for conducting oncology clinical trials. Our research employs various experimental techniques such as PCR, Next Generation Sequencing, Flow Cytometry, Cytogenetics and Mass Spectrophotometric methods. Our lab routinely performs somatic and germline mutation testing for various genes corresponding to many solid tumours and haematological malignancies using PCR and Next Generation Sequencing methods, along with other Flow based assays for haematological malignancies and cytogenetic analysis for all cancers, aiding in accurate diagnosis and personalised treatment.
We are building up our cancer research facility further with a new research institute attached to Shankara Cancer Hospitals, Bhubaneswar. In augmentation to the current research infrastructure in Shankara Cancer Hospitals, the new research institute in Bhubaneswar will amplify our capabilities and extend the reach of our clinical research faculty to encompass and benefit a broader population.
Our expanding research efforts are dedicated to identifying novel cancer targets, improving patient stratification to match existing therapies, and uncovering key mechanisms in biological processes.
Shankara Cancer Hospitals is one of the only non-governmental, super speciality hospitals in India with in-house clinical, research and diagnostic facilities dedicated to cancer research. We envision becoming the largest healthcare provider for cancer, further enhancing our capabilities of addressing the broad needs of patients across India and Internationally.
The Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, Government of India, recognises Sri Shankara Cancer Foundation as a Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (DSIR-SIRO) for our expertise and innovative cancer research.
The Research Team
The research faculty at Shankara Cancer Hospitals is involved with understanding the typical and anomalous incidences of cancer to determine the underlying causes, develop innovative treatment modalities, and enhance early detection methods for improved patient outcomes.
Our research team has 3 Senior Scientists and 4 Post Doctoral Scientists who spearhead the research projects conducted in collaboration with the Clinical Faculty. The research team includes 5 research associates, a research pathologist and a bioinformatician.
The research team and clinical faculty together are pursuing applied and translational research by simultaneously consolidating bedside and bench research. The bedside clinical observations supplement the research bench experiments to devise novel cancer diagnostic, prognostic and treatment strategies for common, rare and complex cancers.
Our clinicians work diligently to identify gaps, challenges, and opportunities in cancer diagnosis and treatment. The clinicians and molecular research team collectively develop and present a problem statement from the identified aspects. In collaboration, the research team and clinicians test their theories through bench experiments and clinical trials, aiming to enhance strategies for diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment. The valuable insights gained from these efforts are then translated into the best possible treatment and care regimens for our patients, ensuring continuous improvement in patient outcomes.
